CHENNAI: Just four days after entering its 40th year, the ruling AIADMK registered an all-time high in the local body elections under the stewardship of Chief Minister and party supremo J Jayalalithaa. Though it has been a general trend that local body elections go in favour of the ruling party, this time, the AIADMK’s spectacular win becomes significant, as the party has achieved this even when all the major alliance parties that were part of the front just five months ago left it for the local body polls.According to results available at 8 pm, the AIADMK is set to win all the 10 municipal corporations, including the prestigious Chennai Corporation for the first time, while the main opposition party in the State Assembly, the DMDK, has literally faced a rout considering the number of posts contested by the party in the local body elections. Though the DMK could not match the performance of the AIADMK, the party has emerged as the runner-up in most of the places and has won 23 municipalities and 116 town panchayats.Except a few seats, the AIADMK fielded its candidates for all posts in the local bodies. Apart from winning 10 Corporations, the AIADMK has won 89 municipalities, 289 town panchayats and is leading in several seats. Among the results declared for 12,685 local bodies, AIADMK won over 5,200 and DMK 2,909.At the AIADMK headquarters here, the predominant mood was jubilation throughout the day. Ever since news broke about the party’s lead in the 10 corporations around 10 am, cadre started bursting crackers raising slogans hailing the leadership of Jayalalithaa.The Congress party could not win in any corporation or municipality but has won 24 town panchayats. Significantly, the BJP has silently made its presence felt by winning two municipalities, including the Nagercoil municipality, and 13 town panchayats. The CPI, which tried its best to have an alliance with the AIADMK till last minute, was able to win two town panchayats while the CPM won two municipalities and five town panchayats. Independent candidates have won five municipalities and 64 town panchayats. The two-phased elections for over 1.3 lakh local bodies in the state were held on October 17 and 19.
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